Books Briefing: Hilderbabes in paradise

A Times reporter heads to an Elin Hilderbrand Bucket List Weekend on Nantucket. In January.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 24, 2023 At the White Heron Theatre in Nantucket, Mass., Elin Hilderbrand leveled with readers about her plans for the future.Sophie Park for The New York Times Hi readers, I've been thinking, admiringly, about completionists — the superfans who devour everything an artist puts out, collect every album, read every last poem. I'm not this brand of devotee, but I've witnessed its power up close. My mother has trained her sights on a few writers to this degree, having read every novel in a Parisian mystery series, which number into the 70s, and possibly the entire catalog of Larry McMurtry. At least one of my colleagues in the Book Review, Elisabeth Egan, is this kind of reader too, which is what made her such a nimble guide to this year's Elin Hilderbrand Bucket List Weekend on Nantucket. Liz has read all of Hilderbrand's novels — there are 29 — and was so confident in her knowledge that she expected she'd win the trivia contest handily. Turns out the 131 so-called Hilderbabes who attended the weekend put up a good fight. Hilderbrand, known for her best-selling and straightforward, intelligent beach reads, has an irresistible pull for millions of readers — enough to draw them to a coastal island in January to bond and let their hair down during a dance party at the Chicken Box. "We're connected with Elin because of her books, but she's also vulnerable and makes it OK to talk about divorce, cancer and your crazy kid that had a party when you were away," as one fan put it. "There's no judgment." None here, either. See you next week. Joumana Khatib Vivian Gornick, looking fabulous.Dolly Faibyshev for The New York Times In other news: We profile the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Harding ahead of his new novel, "This Other Eden." His novels frequently feature characters taking quiet steps through calamity. "I know my tragedy," he tells us. Here's a new line of clothes for people who love books. (I was particularly moved to see that Vivian Gornick's eyeliner technique remains as impeccable as ever.) Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT RECENT BOOK REVIEWS NONFICTION A Prophet of Boom With Charts for Every Occasion With "The Aftermath," Philip Bump marshals a sea of statistics to debunk myths about that big, self-involved and endlessly discussed postwar generation. By Alexandra Jacobs FICTION Immigration Is Hard. This Novel Turns the Struggle Into a Comedy of Errors. In Kathryn Ma's new novel, "The Chinese Groove," an overly optimistic Chinese man migrates to America to find connection and success. It doesn't go as planned. By Scaachi Koul FICTION John Maynard Keynes Can't Save You Now Martin Riker's novel "The Guest Lecture" details a tortured night inside the head of a young economist. By Dwight Garner FICTION The Thrill of Plot or the Richness of Detail? Try Both. Laurent Mauvignier's "The Birthday Party" is a thriller with an intense focus on its characters' interior worlds. By Martin Riker NONFICTION How Enlightened Were the Pirates of Madagascar? In his last book, the iconoclastic anthropologist David Graeber considers evidence that maritime outlaws created utopian political communities on the island in the Indian Ocean. By Peter Frankopan READING ACROSS THE WORLD Raphaelle Macaron Read Your Way Through Boston Paul Theroux, the quintessential travel writer, has also enshrined his Massachusetts roots in his writing. Here are his recommendations for those who come to visit. By Paul Theroux Raphaelle Macaron Read Your Way Through Newfoundland Michael Crummey, an award-winning author whose poetry and prose explore the region and its capital, St. John's, shares book recommendations, local vocabulary and where to find a good pint. By Michael Crummey Raphaelle Macaron Read Your Way Through Cairo Yasmine El Rashidi, a journalist and novelist, guides readers through Cairo, a city whose presence is so powerful it is "the subject, the object and the main character" of many of its writers. By Yasmine El Rashidi Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. Love this email? Forward to a friend. Want this email? Sign-up here. Have a suggestion for this email? Then send us a note at books@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Books from The New York Times. To stop receiving Books, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018